Amidst the uneasy calm of the apartment complex, the narrative of Alice In Borderland unfolds with episode 3, painting a portrait of Arisu's moral turmoil following the tagging incident where he took a life. Usagi, sensing his inner conflict, offers him words of solace before exiting the scene, leaving Arisu to grapple with his actions.
Elsewhere, Saori Shibuki finds herself engulfed by the stark reality that she has been ensnared in this game for five days, her visa clock ticking dangerously close to expiration. She laments her transformed existence, recalling the ignoble lengths she once went to—sleeping with her superiors—merely to attain a promotion. However, her introspection is abruptly cut short by the arrival of Arisu and Karube, who share the ominous contents of the radio broadcast, urging a return to the beach.
With the announcement of a new game looming in the evening, the camaraderie among the group solidifies as they vow to unite and strive for victory. Arisu's mind swirls with Usagi's earlier exhortation, especially her emphatic declaration of doing whatever it takes to survive. Meanwhile, Karube ventures back to the bar, uncovering a ring box tucked away behind an assortment of bottles on a dusty shelf. This token of his affection for his girlfriend has been in hiding, awaiting the perfect moment. As he grasps it, the dusk descends, heralding the advent of a fresh challenge.
Amidst Chota's precarious condition, the group reinforces their resolve to remain a cohesive unit, facing whatever lies ahead with fortitude and unity.
While it may be simpler stated than accomplished, the children arrive at the botanical garden for their next assignment, greeted by two white tables adorned with an assortment of tools at their disposal. Upon selecting their chosen instruments, their attention is inexplicably drawn to another table adorned with goggles resembling those from a virtual reality game, casting an eerie allure. As the children are registered, an eerily uplifting big band melody begins to play, signaling the impending commencement of their game once the goggles are donned.
The technology is undoubtedly impressive, but they soon discover that the game they must participate in, titled "7 of Hearts," is a perilous game of hide and seek where one is designated the wolf and the others, the sheep. At the conclusion, the wolf emerges victorious, while the fate of the remaining three lambs is sealed by the detonation of their collars, leading to their untimely demise.
Realizing that only one will survive, Chota takes on the role of the first wolf, with just 15 minutes on the clock to decipher this grim puzzle. A direct gaze from one player to another transfers the wolf's power, a revelation that Shibuki swiftly comprehends, prompting her to dart off into hiding upon becoming the wolf. Karube, in pursuit, ultimately finds himself entangled in a fierce confrontation with Shibuki, resulting in the transfer of the wolf's power to him. As tensions escalate, Arisu unexpectedly seizes the power, desperation etched across his face as he strives to rid himself of the deadly collar.
With time slipping away, flashbacks to Arisu's past reveal his unbreakable bond of friendship with Chota and Karube. In a moment of clarity, Arisu resolves to withdraw from the game, refusing to fight for survival and pleading with his friends to strip him of his power. His heartfelt appeal falls on deaf ears, as they are too preoccupied with their own survival. In the waning seconds, Arisu locates Karube, but it is too late. The collar explodes, and Karube collapses lifeless at Arisu's feet, his body shrouded in a cloud of blood that hints at the similar grim fates likely suffered by Chota and Shibuki, though we are spared the gruesome sight.
